The author of our NSC series sits down with me for a quick word on the future of America, hip-hop’s current trendy state of mind and his fave 5 (no T-Mobile).
1. With the elections now over, Barack Obama’s win has implicated a significant change for not only America’s but the entire world’s future. How do you think his historic term will perhaps shape the world, and do you think it will be for better or worse?
The moment Obama became President of the United States he changed the course of world history, not just American history. The rest of the world has always looked at the U.S. like a beacon of freedom and a model democracy, but the fact of the matter is that America hasn’t lived up to it’s promise. Plenty of other nations have had Black leaders and woman leaders; we are not the first by far. But regardless of the history of America’s racial inequality, this is a change for the better. Yes, Barack Obama is the first Black president, now we have to work to ensure that he isn’t the last. I wanna see a Latin President, a woman President, a Asian President, thanks to Barack anything is possible now.
2. The year in hip-hop has seen a change as well, from the hardcore to the fashionista, from ringtone singles to bohemian beats and a hipster-esque state of mind. Do you feel that this new trend will signal a shift in the musical scene, or is it simply another short-lived fad?
I’m not just an MC, I’m a fan and a student of the game. I’ve noticed that Hip-hop moves in cycles; before Kanye West we had 50 Cent, before 50 we had Diddy. I remember coming up in the Afro-centric era when everyone was rocking dashikis; the Native Tongue era and shit. Now you couldn’t pay a rapper to wear a dashiki. So the game will be fashion forward and hipster-esque for a while I guess, but I like to think I stand out. No matter what the current trend is in Hip-Hop, I make sure I am BK Cyph. So when folks are rockin’ plaid, lumberjack jackets I’m rockin’ Champion hoodies. Thanks to Mickey Factz, everyone is rockin’ Supras now and that’s cool, but I’ve always been an Air Jordan and Timbaland type of guy. I’m just a product of my environment, so you’d be hard pressed to find me talkin’ about how fly my clothes are, I rather talk about the problems in my community and those problems will never change—the hood has always been fucked up no matter what we sound like musically.
* Bonus: In Honor of DJ Vlad’s series and XXL’s upcoming baddest female in the game tourney, who are your top five women of all time? (ed. note: click their names to see who he’s talking about!)
1. Melinda: I see ya’ll set the trap, you ain’t gonna have me sleepin’ on the couch tonight, you crazy. My wife Melinda is my number one!
2. Alicia Keys: I even wrote a song about her, ya’ll be hearing it shortly. The hook goes; “I ain’t a D-boy, or a decoy/No ki’s, but I love Alicia Keys boy.” Oh, it’s gonna be a hit fo’ sho. Who don’t love Alicia?
3. Beyoncé: It’s hard to really lust after her now ’cause she’s Hov’s wife, but damn that “Single Ladies” video is something else!
4. Ice La Fox: I’m talkin’ before the boob job. If she wasn’t a porn star she’d be wifey material. I ain’t knockin’ her hustle, but I’ve seen her take one too many to the grill to think about ever fallin’ in love with her. Then again maybe she is a really sweet person, who knows?
5. Jessica Rabbit: Not Melyssa Ford, but the Latin one who was in that Paul Wall video. If you ask me this same question next week I will probably change my answer, but lately I’ve been on my J. Rabbit shit!
